Hammer toy



July 28, 19,53 M. l. GLAss HAMMER TOY Filed July 16, 1951 Inventor' mara/n I. Glass Patented July 28,!1953 l UNITED STATES VVPATENT OFFICE HAMMERTOY Marvin I. Glass, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 16, 1951, Serial No. 236,957

5 Claims. (Cl. L1:6-145) My invention is directed to toys as. a class and more particularly to toys having a plurality of reclluocable elements which when arranged in a predetermined manner act to release another reciprocable element which may be in the representation or caricature of a figure so as to cause cordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing certain of the parts in another position of operation.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a plan view with the c1osure element removed.

Referring to the drawings, my invention comprises Ia cylindrical |housing indicated generally by the numeral I0, the said housing including a bottom member II, a circular vertical wall I2 and a closure or top member I3. Received with in the housing ID and supported on the bottom member II is a plate member I4. Extending upwardly from the plate member and arranged,

90 degrees apart, as illustrated in Figure 5, are

four` cylinders I6, substantially the same height as the vertical wall I2. Each of the cylinders I6 is open at the top and is provided with a slot I1 which extends down from the top of the cylinder. Additionally each cylinder I6 is provided with a slot I8 in diametrical opposition to the slot I1, the slot I8 extending upwardly a short distance from the bottom of the cylinder, as illustrated in Figure 3. Received within each of the cylinders I6 is a plunger I9 which may be either of solid or of hollow construction. The said plunger is provided with a projection 2| extending into and through thefslot I1 and is also provided with an'aperture 22 oppositely thereof. The projection 2| serves to limit the upward movement' of the plunger I9, since it is caused to abut the underside of the closure member I3, and also serves to aline the aperture 22 with the slot I8. A spring 23 in the bottom of the cylinder I6 serves to normally urge the plunger I9 to its upward position as illustrated in Figure 3.

Extending upwardly from the bottom member I4 and arranged coaxially with thel center of the plate member I4, is a cylinder 24 provided with longitudinal slots 26, the said slots being spaced 90 apart and in alinement with the slots I 8. Received within the cylinder 24 is a plunger, generally indicated by the numeral 21, the upper portion of said plunger being formed in the caricature or representation of a human being or animal. The plunger 21 is provided with four radially extending arms 28 which are adapted to extend through the slots 26, as illustrated in Figure 3. The plunger 21 is additionally provided with shorter arms 29 which are spaced below the extensions V28 and are in vertical alinement therewith. A spring 3| abutting the underside of the plunger 21 serves to urge thek same upwardly. The plunger 21 is provided with a partition wall 32 having a central aperture 33. If desired, a conventional bellows type sound producing element indicated by the numeral 34 may be contained within the cylinder 24, the said element being actuated by the wall 32 in the manner hereinafter described. If a sound element 34 is used the spring 3| may be omitted.

Supported on bifurcated blocks 35 alined with each of the. slots 26 are latching elements 36 which are pivotally connected to the blocks. Each of the latching elements is substantially T-shaped in elevation with opposite ends 38 and 39 of the transverse arm thereof being adapted to enter the slots I8 and 26 respectively. A spring 31 serves to normally urge the latch element 36 in the direction of the cylinder I6 so that the end 38 engages with the wall of the plunger I9. As will be seen by reference to Figure 3, the inner end 39 of each latching element is adapted to be engaged by the projections 28 and 29 of the plunger 21 while the outer end 38 is adapted to Aengage into the aperture 22 of the plunger I9.

When the projection29 is engaged by the end 39 the plunger 21 is locked in depressed position.

The plunger I9 by reason of the frictional engagement of the end 38 therewith may assume any position intermediate the positions illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 which represent the upper and lower limits of travel. Thus, when the plunger 21 is depressed as illustrated in Figure 1, the plungers I9 are projected above the top of the closure member I3 in the manner illustrated in Figure l. When the plungers I9 are caused to be depressed in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, the plunger 21 is caused to be projected above the closure member I3. Assuming that the plungers I9 are in the upwardly projected position illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the said plungers through the use of a suitable mallet or hammer or with a finger may be depressed to the position illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 or to any intermediate position.

As will be seen by reference to Figure 3, each latching element 36 is normally urged against the wall ofthe plunger I9. Thus, when the plunger I9 is depressed so that the aperture 2 thereof is caused to be alined with the end 38 of the latching element the said end enters into the..

aperture 22, thereby positioning the latching element 36 in the position illustrated in Figure e wherein the end 39 is disengaged from the pro-,

cannot be e-ected` until all "of 'the plungers r9 are moved to completely depressed positions. vvAs will be apparent, the order of depressing the plungers I9 is immaterial since each acts independently on the plunger 2'I". The plungers I9 may be depressed in stages since each is frictionally held by the latching elements 3.' ln order to effect a reversal of the above described action, the plungerv 2T is depressed as with the use of a mall-et ornger. The projections 218 in their downward movement willl engage with the ends 39 of the latching elements 36 to cause the same to pivot in a direction away from engagementwith the apertures 22, thereby effecting release or the'plungers I3 and permitting the springs 23 to project the same upwardly'. It will be apparent, that all of the plungers I'9 are released' simultaneously forv upward projection. In the position illustrated in Figure 3, the latching element 36 ifs in a position to lock the plunger 2? against upward movement until v:released in the man-ner hereinabove described.

1. A toy comprising abase member, at least two substantially adjacent' cylindrical members supported on said base member, a plungerlreciprocable in each of, said cylindrical; members, springv means in. each' of' said cylindrical members acting on said plungers to urge the same Veiprocable in each of said cylindrical members,

spring means in each of said cylindrical members acting on said plungers to urge the same outwardly, and a pivoted late-hing member pivotally movable between said adjacent cylindrical members and engageable at'any one time with either of said plungers, that when one plunger is depressed itis engaged by saidl latching means and locked in. depressed' position while the other of said plungers isv caused to be disengaged and projected' toextended position.

2.. A toy comprising a base. member, at least two substantially adjacent cylindrical members supported on said base member, ya plunger reciprocable in each of said cylindrical'members, spring means, in each of said cylindricalv members acting on its respective plunger to urge the same outwardly, a singlepivoted latching member pivotally movable between said adjacent cylindrical members and engageable at any one time with either of said plungers, spring means urging said latching member in a direction to engage with one of said plungers, and means on the other of` said plungers engageable with said outwardly, pivoted latching means disposed be- 1 tween said centrally disposed cylindrical member and each of said radially arranged cylindrical members, said latchng means being engageable withrespective plungers in said cylindrical members, spring means urging said latching means in a direction to engage with the radivallyarranged plungers, and means on the centrally 'disposed plunger engageable with said lat'chingnieans to effectk disengagement thereof with theradially varranged plungers whereby to release the latter and' to lock' said centrally disposed plunger in depressed position.

4.*A toy comprising a base member, at least two'adjaeent cydindrical rriensibersV supported on said base member, -a plungerY reciprocable in each of said cylindrical members; spring means in each of' said cylindrical members acting on said plungersr to urge the same outwardly, a latching member pivotally movable between said adjacent-cylindrical members, spring means urging said -latching means in a direction to engage with one of said plungers, said latching member bein-g engageable at any one time with either of the respective plungers to lock one or the other in depressedl position, and means on one or said plungers engageablewithsaid latching member when said plunger is depressed to effect disengagement thereof with the otherl plunger'whereby to release said other plu-nger and to lock the first mentioned plunger in depressed position.

5.- A toy comprising a base member, a cylindrical member disposed substantially centrally `'on said base member, a plurality of cylindrical members arranged radially relative to said rst mentioned cylindrical member', a plunger` reciprocable inl each of said cylindrical members, a latclring memberA pivotallyb mounted between said central cylinder andf'eaclfr of said radiallyr dis'- posed cylinders, said latching members being engageable with respective plungers to lock' one or the other in depressed position, andl means onthe centrally disposed plungerw-hen the same depressed engageable with said latchilrrg member toeffect' disengagement thereof with the radially disposed plungers whereby to release said radially disposed plungers for upward protection and to lock said' centrally disposed plunger in depressed position, the centrally disposed plunger being released for upward projection when all of the. radially disposed plungers` are depressed.

' I. GLASS.

436,739 -l Mclntire Sept. 161890 n 2,540361 Szantay Jan.Y 30, 195.1 

